2 passengers killed in Missouri river drunk driving crash

On behalf of The Copeland Law Firm posted in Car Accidents on Friday, April 13, 2012.

A car accident can happen in an instant -- often the result of just one error in judgment or one distracted moment. But a drunk driver in Missouri is something altogether different. When someone makes a decision to drink and drive, that misjudgment goes beyond a case of simple negligence. And when a resulting accident causes the death of one or more victims, both criminal and civil penalties can apply. That may be the case for a 24-year-old woman who crashed her Jeep into a river in the early morning hours of April 7.

The car accident occurred around 4 a.m. on Saturday morning, when the southeast Missouri woman apparently ran a stop sign. Her Jeep ended up in the Black River.

Though she was able to climb to safety by climbing out the driver's side window, two passengers were not as fortunate. A 25-year-old Poplar Bluff man and a 29-year-old man from Malden both lost their lives in the collision when they were unable to escape from the submerged vehicle. Police say the woman acknowledged she had been drinking, and she was subsequently incarcerated, though no charges have been reported.

While it is a fortune that the driver was able to survive the accident, the families of the deceased victims are left to bury their loved ones and mourn two lives cut senselessly short. While further details will have to await police investigation and potential criminal court proceedings, the families may wish to explore the possibility of filing wrongful death claims.

In Missouri, a wrongful death lawsuit is deemed appropriate when a fatality occurs through the negligent or intentional acts of another. A successful claim will not undo the tragedy that has occurred but may act as a means for holding negligent parties accountable for their misdeeds while providing financial remuneration for expenses and other damages related to the fatal collision.

The use of the Internet or this form for communication with the firm or any individual member of the firm does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Confidential or time-sensitive information should not be sent through this form.